Yeast: The beast that gives beer its character

Bottoms up: Stu McKinlay, co-founder of Yeastie Boys, pointing out his beer on the list at Taps Beer Bar, Kuala Lumpur. (Inset) Yeastie Boys' craft beers are available at the bar. - Michael Cheang/The Star

Our columnist meets a Yeastie Boy to find out more about the role yeast plays in brewing beer.

YEAST is beautiful – it’s like the magic of beer,” declared Stu McKinlay, co-founder of New Zealand craft brewers Yeastie Boys. “Everything else you can taste and smell before you put them in the beer; but with yeast, it goes in there and all the exciting characteristics it gives the beer only come AFTER the beer is ready, so you need to use it to really get to know it.